Frame to receive a part to be carried

ABSTRACT

A rack for receiving an object to be supported is disclosed. The rack has a pair of parallel corner profiles ( 1 ) each having two legs ( 2, 3 ) connected at an angle along an edge. A groove ( 4 ) extends parallel to the edge and has a longitudinal portion ( 5 ) which extends through the edge and which is inclined with respect to the two legs ( 2, 3 ). It also has a transverse portion ( 6 ) formed at the base of the longitudinal portion ( 5 ) and extending to both sides thereof with respective first and second portions ( 13, 13 ′). Bolts ( 44 ) engage each of the longitudinal portions ( 5 ) of the grooves ( 4 ). Sliding blocks ( 20 ) positioned in the transverse portions ( 6 ) cooperate with the bolts for fastening the object to be supported to the frame. The sliding blocks ( 20 ) each having a first region ( 27 ) and a second region ( 27 ′) being in contact with respective ones of the two portions ( 13, 13 ′), wherein the two portions ( 13, 13 ′) of the transverse portion ( 6 ) and the contacting two regions ( 27, 27 ′) of the sliding block ( 20 ) are both inclined towards each other so as to produce a formfit connection between the sliding block ( 20 ) and the transverse portion ( 6 ).

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a rack for supporting an object.

2. Description of Related Art

A rack of this kind is disclosed in EP 0 166 095.

It is the object of the invention to form such a rack for supporting anobject so as to enhance the load-bearing capacity thereof.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object is achieved by a rack comprising a pair of parallel cornerprofiles (1) each having two legs (2, 3) connected at an angle along anedge, a groove (4) extending parallel to the edge and having alongitudinal portion (5) which extends through the edge and which isinclined with respect to the two legs (2, 3) and a transverse portion(6) formed at the base of the longitudinal portion (5) and extending toboth sides thereof with respective first and second portions (13, 13′),bolts (44) engaging each of the longitudinal portions (5) of the grooves(4) and sliding blocks (20) positioned in the transverse portions (6)and cooperating with the bolts for fastening the object to be supportedto the frame, the sliding blocks (20) each having a first region (27)and a second region (27′) being in contact with respective ones of thetwo portions (13, 13′), characterized in that the two portions (13, 13′)of the transverse portion (6) and the contacting two regions (27, 27′)of the sliding block (20) are both inclined towards each other so as toproduce a formfit connection between the sliding block (20) and thetransverse portion (6).

Advantageously, the two legs of the corner profile do nto bend up evenunder high loads because the form-fit produced between both portions ofthe groove and the corresponding regions of the sliding block cooperatesin stabilizing the connection.

Embodiments will be described with reference to the Figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the Figures:

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a corner profile and of a part of asupport platform mounted thereto;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a groove and a sliding block;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of a sliding block;

FIG. 4a shows a cross-section of a groove;

FIGS. 4b-4 d show cross-sections of three different sliding blocks;

FIG. 5a shows a cross-section of a groove;

FIGS. 5b-5 d show cross-sections of three different sliding blocks;

FIG. 6 is a perspective representation of an inventive rack; and

FIG. 7 shows a cross-section of a corner profile and of a part of asupport platform mounted thereto according to a further embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, an elongate corner profile 1 comprises two legs 2,3. A groove 4 extends in longitudinal direction of a corner profile 1 atthe inner corner thereof. The groove 4 is formed by a longitudinalportion 5 extending through the inner corner of the corner profile 1 andbeing inclined with respect to the two legs 2, 3, and of a transverseportion 6 extending transversely to the longitudinal portion at a basethereof. The longitudinal portion 5 includes an angle of about 45° witheach of the two legs 2, 3, and the transverse portion 6 includes anangle of about 90° with the longitudinal portion 5. The transverseportion 6 is symmetrically formed and arranged with respect to a centerplane 7 of the longitudinal portion 5 extending in longitudinaldirection.

As shown in FIG. 2, the longitudinal portion 5 is defined by two firstside walls 8. The transverse portion 6 is defined by front walls 9contiguous with the first side walls 8, second side walls 10 contiguouswith the front walls 9 and a back wall 11 connecting the two second sidewalls 10. Each front wall 9 comprises a first wall portion 12, which iscontiguous with the corresponding first side wall 8 and extendsperpendicular to the center plane 7. The first wall portions arefollowed by a first portion 13 and a second portion 13 each facing awayfrom the center plane 7 and including therewith an angle a of about135°. Hence, the two portions 13, 13′ include an angle α of about 90°,viewing towards the longitudinal portion 5. The first portions 13, 13′are each followed by a second wall portion 14 extending perpendicular tothe center plane 7 up to the corresponding second side wall 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, a sliding block 20 is arranged within the groove 4.The sliding block 20 is symmetric with respect to the center plane 7.FIG. 2 shows the sliding block 20 as a screw nut removed from the groove4. As shown in FIG. 2, the sliding block 20 is substantially formed as aright parallel epiped and comprises two side faces 22, a bottom face 23,a top face 23′ and a front and back face. An internal screw tread 21extends in the center of the sliding block parallel to the center plane7 from the bottom face 23 to the top face 23′. The width of thetransverse portion 6 of the groove 4 slightly exceeds the width of thesliding block 20 such that the sliding block 20 can easily slide alongthe groove 4 in longitudinal direction thereof. The depth of thetransverse portion 6 and the groove 4 exceeds the height of the slidingblock 20. Two spaced parallel channel-shaped recesses 24 are formed inthe bottom face 23 of the sliding block 20. Each recess 24 is defined bya first surface 25 oriented parallel to the center plane 7, a secondsurface 26 contiguous with the first surface 25 at a right angle theretoand a first and second region 27, 27′, respectively, contiguous theretoand each including an angle β of about 45° with the center plane 7. Thetwo regions 27, 27′ therefore include an angle β of about 90°, viewingtowards the longitudinal portion 5. The maximum spacing of the tworegions 27, 27′ in a direction perpendicular to the center plane 7 issmaller than the maximum distance between the two portions 13, 13′ indirection perpendicular to the center plane 7 and greater than theminimum distance between the two portions 13, 13′ in directionperpendicular to the center plane 7. The angles a and b are chosen toadd up to substantially 180°. Thus, the angles α and β are substantiallyequal. This ensures a surface contact between the two portions 13, 13′and the two regions 27, 27′ resting thereon when assembled. The top face23′ is rounded so as to allow the sliding block 20 to be easily insertedinto the groove 4 at any position.

As shown in FIG. 1, a mounting portion 40 of a support platform 41comprises a corner having two perpendicular walls 42. A bore 43 isprovided in the corner of the walls 42 for passing a bolt 44therethrough. A round rod 45 having a bore or slot 46 is arranged in thecorner between the walls 42. The cross-section of the round rod 45contacts each wall 42 at a respective contact point.

In operation, the sliding block 20 is inserted transversely into thegroove 4 at a desired place in such a way that the two regions 27, 27′extend substantially parallel to the two portions 13, 13′. This caneasily be done because the depth of the groove 4 is greater than theheight of the sliding block 20 and the top face 23′ is rounded.Thereafter, the bolt 44 is passed through the bore or the slot 46 of theround rod 45, the bore 43 and the longitudinal portion 5 and screwedinto the internal screw thread 21 of the sliding block 20. This causesthe walls 42 to contact the legs 2, 3 and the two regions 27, 27′ tocore into surface contact with the two portions 13, 13′. Hence, a forceacts towards the center plane 7 and counteracts a tendency of the legs2, 3 of the corner profile to be bent apart which considerablystabilizes the corner profile 1. The round rod 45 causes the suspensionfores to be uniformly apportioned to both walls 42 and therefore to bothlegs 2, 3.

It is essential that the two portions 13, 13′ are oriented relative tothe longitudinal portion 5 such that using an adapted sliding block 20 aforce oriented towards the longitudinal portion 5 is produced inassembled state and that at the same time the two portions 13, 13′ arenon-positively interconnected.

In an embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the sliding block 20 comprises asingle recess 28 which is defined by a rear surface 29 arrangedperpendicular to the center plane 7 and two laterally adjacent regions27, 27′.

In an alternative embodiment, the sliding block 20 may comprise therecesses 24 or the recess 28 in the bottom face 23 as well as in the topface 23′. This facilitates assembling the rack because it is notnecessary to pay attention to an orientation of the bottom face 23towards the front walls 9 when inserting the sliding block 20 into thegroove.

In an embodiment shown in FIG. 4a, the front wall 9 is shaped as acylinder segment 30 in a direction transversely to the longitudinaldirection of the groove, the cylinder segment 30 being directlycontiguous with the first side wall 8. The cylinder segment 30 isconnected with the second side wall 10 by a third wall portion 31extending perpendicular to the center plane 7. The portion of thecylinder segment 30 oriented away from the center plane 7 forms a firstand a second portion 13, 13′. The matching sliding block 20 comprises,as shown in FIG. 4 b, two hollow cylinder segments 34 formed in thebottom face 23 in a direction transversely to the center plane andmatching the cylinder segments. The cylinder segments 30 and hollowcylinder segments 34 are formed as regular cylinder segments. The radiusof the cylinder segments 30 and their distance correspond substantiallyto the radius of the hollow cylinder segments 34 and their distance,respectively.

In a further embodiment shown in FIG. 4d, the sliding block 20 comprisesa single recess 28 which is defined by a rear surface 29 and first andsecond regions 27, 27′ contiguous therewith. The curvature of the tworegions 27, 27′ and their distance correspond to the curvature of thetwo portions 13, 13′ and the distance therebetween. Alternatively, thebottom face 23 as well as the top face 23′ may comprise the recess 28 orthe two hollow cylinder segments 34, as shown in FIG. 4c.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 5a comprises a fourth wall portion 32instead of the cylinder segment 30 shown in FIG. 4. The fourth wallportion 32 is formed as an isosceles triangle. In this embodiment, thelegs of the fourth wall portion 32 adjacent to the corresponding thirdwall portion 31 form the first and second portion 13, 13′. The twoportiosn 13, 13′ include an angle a of about 120° with the center plane7. As shown in FIG. 5b, the sliding block 20 comprises two triangularrecesses 24′. The recesses 24′ each have a first and second region 27,27′ oriented towards the center plane 7 and including an angle b ofabout 60° with the center plane.

In a further embodiment shown in FIG. 5c, the sliding block 20 has asingle recess 28′ which is defined by a rear wall 29′ and two regions27, 27′ adjacent thereto. Alternatively, both the bottom face 23 and thetop face 23′ of the sliding block 20 may comprise the single recess 28or the two recesses 24′, as shown in FIG. 5d.

Although the transverse portion 6 and the sliding block 20 have beendescribed as being symmetric with respect to the center plane 7, this isnot essential but the transverse portion 6 and the sliding block 20 mayalso be asymmetric with respect to the center plane 7.

Preferably the angle a is in a range of 110° to 160° and the angle b isin a range of 70°-20°. The angles a and b are chosen so as to add up toa value of substantially 180°. The angles α and β are thereforepreferably in a range of 20°-70°.

FIG. 6 shows an example of an application of the inventive rack. The twocorner profiles 1 are mounted on two sustainers 60 each having rollers61 screwed thereto. The support platform 41 and a drawer 62 are attachedto the two corner profiles 1 by means of any of the sliding blocks 20shown in the FIGS. 1-5 inserted into a matching groove 4. Due to thehigh stability no sway bracing between the corner profiles 1 isrequired.

The corner profiles can be formed as extruded profiles consisting forexample of aluminum.

A further embodiment is shown in FIG. 7. The embodiment shown in FIG. 7differs from that of FIG. 1 in that the groove 4 shown in FIG. 4 and thesliding block 20 shown in FIG. 4a are provided within the corner profile1 and that the round rod 45 is replaced by a wedge 50. The wedge 50comprises a bore 51 receiving the bolt 44. The sides 52 of the wedge 50facing the walls 42 sit close to the walls 42.

The grooves 4 and sliding blocks 20 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 effect anon-positive interlocking connection between the two portions of thetransverse portions 6 and the two contacting regions of the slidingblocks 20 which stiffens the entire profile.

What is claimed is:
 1. A frame for supporting an object, the framecomprising: a pair of parallel corner profiles each having two legsforming an angle along an inner edge of said profile, a groove extendingparallel to said inner edge, said groove having a longitudinal portionextending to a base through said inner edge at an angle with respect tosaid legs, and a transverse portion formed at said base of saidlongitudinal portion, bolts extending into said longitudinal portions ofsaid grooves, sliding blocks positioned within said transverse portionsand cooperating with said bolts for attaching an object to be supportedto said frame, and means for effecting a form-fit connection betweensaid sliding blocks and said transverse portions, said means comprisingfirst and second inclined sections of said transverse portions extendingon respective sides of said longitudinal portions, and correspondingfirst and second inclined regions formed at said sliding blocks forcontact with a respective one of said first and second inclined sectionsof said transverse portions of said groove.
 2. The frame of claim 1,wherein said first and second inclined sections and said first andsecond inclined regions include an angle of less than 180°, viewingtowards said longitudinal portion.
 3. The frame of claim 1, wherein atleast one of said first and second inclined sections has a cylindersegment shape in a direction transversely to the longitudinal directionof said groove, and the corresponding one of said first and secondinclined regions is shaped as a hollow cylinder segment in a directiontransverse to said longitudinal direction of said groove.
 4. The frameof claim 1, further comprising a member provided at the head side of abolt opposite to said base, said member having sides for contacting saidlegs or walls of said object to be supported sitting close to said legs.